TOP-RANKED SPANISH FORK, OGDEN FACE-OFF IN 3A TILT

The weekend slate of prep basketball action gets an early start Thursday night, with Spanish Fork - the top-ranked 3A team in this week's Deseret News Coaches Poll - traveling to second-ranked Ogden.

Meanwhile, Region 1 starts league play Friday, with the northern 4A league the only 4A or 3A region to schedule league competition from now until after the first of the year. Friday's opening slate is headlined by Davis visiting Viewmont, with the top-ranked Darts coming off a midweek loss at Highland.Regions 9 and 10 continue league play in the 2A ranks Friday. The four-game Region 9 slate is the league's second in three nights and features North Sanpete at Park City and Grantsville at Juab. Region 10's top matchup pits No.

1 North Sevier at Beaver.

Some non-league games Friday worthy of mention - American Fork visits Bingham in a matchup that has been repeated in recent 4A state tournaments; Duchesne faces Green River at CEU in a pairing of 1A powers; Timpview plays at Payson in a pairing of two of Utah County's better teams; and Bountiful heads to Highland to decide the "Maxwell House" honors - Bountiful Coach Mike Maxwell pits strategies against his father, Highland Coach Larry Maxwell.